Well the book world is in a tizzy AGAIN. The whole James Frey debacle is barely a memory and now bestselling author Dan "The DaVinci Code" Brown is being hauled into court over his fictional book. The claim is that he borrowed heavily from a book called "The Holy Blood, and The Holy Grail" which was written back in 1982. Ironically, the non-fiction book is also published by Random House, the company which published Brown's book. Brown has already dodged one lawsuit, last year's claim by Lewis Perdue that Brown copied elements in the books "Daughter Of God" and "The DaVinci Legacy." Depending on the outcome, this could affect the release of the movie. The claim is not the Brown plagiarized the book "Holy Blood" but that he borrowed heavily from it. The authors should be flattered and no matter what it will draw interest in their book thanks to the publicity. It's not like non-fiction works are not allowed to be borrowed from and there are hundreds, possibly thousands of books out there that borrow from each other. Let's face it, there's no originality anymore. Everything's been done and written.
peace out,
paul
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
A couple of songs that I'm enjoying on the radio are Newsong's Life In My Day and Ray Scott's My Kind Of Music. Who says there is nothing good on the radio?
Michael Bay, director of such movies as The Rock and Armageddon, is planning on another installment of Friday the 13th. This would mark the 12th installment over the past 26years. How many times can they bring Jason back? How good can they make this one? After the last so- terrible -it- can't- even- be- considered- camp installment, they should just hang it up. When we last saw Jason he was carrying the head of Freddy (from the Nightmare on Elm Street movies) and where in the hell can they take him this time? He's already been in space (Jason X). Why, oh why, do they keep making the terrible sequels? Hang him already. Burn him, chop him into a million pieces and scatter his ashes on Mars.
peace out,
paul
Michael Bay, director of such movies as The Rock and Armageddon, is planning on another installment of Friday the 13th. This would mark the 12th installment over the past 26years. How many times can they bring Jason back? How good can they make this one? After the last so- terrible -it- can't- even- be- considered- camp installment, they should just hang it up. When we last saw Jason he was carrying the head of Freddy (from the Nightmare on Elm Street movies) and where in the hell can they take him this time? He's already been in space (Jason X). Why, oh why, do they keep making the terrible sequels? Hang him already. Burn him, chop him into a million pieces and scatter his ashes on Mars.
peace out,
paul
Sunday, February 26, 2006
Photo Op
Everyone wants their 15mins of fame. And some people should always wear clothes. This man, who ran out on the field during the men's curling Bronze medal match, was advertising his website. During the game between the U.S. and Great Britain, this fine specimen (yeah right) of a man ended up being taken away by security. It looks like the website is GoldenPalace.com When I went to that website, I saw that it was a website for a casino. And what in the hell is that thing between his legs? It looks like a dead cat or a rubber chicken.
Remember
A moment of silence for the passing of Don Knotts who died on Friday of pulmonary and respiratory complications at the age of 81. He won 5 emmys for playing Barney Fife on the tv show "The Andy Griffith Show."
Also a moment of silence for Darren McGavin who died at the age of 83. He died on Saturday of natural causes and had roles in the tv shows "Riverboat" and "Kolchak: The Night Stalker" (the original version). He also won an emmy in 1990 playing Murphy Brown's father. He may be most known, however, for his role as the grumpy dad who buys the lamp in the shape of a leg in the movie "A Christmas Story."
paul
Also a moment of silence for Darren McGavin who died at the age of 83. He died on Saturday of natural causes and had roles in the tv shows "Riverboat" and "Kolchak: The Night Stalker" (the original version). He also won an emmy in 1990 playing Murphy Brown's father. He may be most known, however, for his role as the grumpy dad who buys the lamp in the shape of a leg in the movie "A Christmas Story."
paul
Underpasses, toast, trees, and now a piece of sheet metal. The face of Jesus turns up in the weirdest places. A man in Connecticut was unloading supplies for his job at a place called Hardy's Hardware (now that's clever....not) when he saw the blurry oil stain which looks just like the face of Jesus. The man, Thomas Haley, is selling the piece of sheet metal on eBay (what a surprise) with a starting bid of $19.95 (Haley paid $15.49 for the piece). As of Saturday afternoon, however, no one had bid on the price. The auction is scheduled to end on 3/1/06. Some of Haley's friends have said the stain looks more like Jim (Morrison, that is) than Jesus. Haley himself is unsure of selling the sheet metal. According to him he "feels kind of bad just pawning off Christ." Then why is he selling Jesus? And on the internet no less.
paul
paul
New Orleans celebrated today with an all-day long parade marathon. Many people think that New Orleans is still struggling to recover from Hurricane Katrina and shouldn't be reveling in "sin and decadence" just yet. I think just the opposite; what better way to show that the city is trying to get better and pick up the pieces than by celebrating a tradition?
peace out,
paul
peace out,
paul
The Olympics are over and I don't feel like I missed a thing. Actually, I didn't watch any of them but I don't feel bad for missing them. The U.S. did not come away with the most medals, that honor belongs to Germany. The final tally was 29 for Germany, 25 for the U.S., 24 for Canada, 23 for Austria, and 22 for Russia. The U.S. didn't even have the most gold medals; again that honor went to Germany. Arrivederci!!!!!
This is cool. A group of more than 5,000 motorcyclists, who call themselves Patriot Guard Riders, ride around the country from military funeral to military funeral. They wear vests with military patches. At the funerals of soldiers who have died in Iraq, the cyclists shield the family members and chant patriotic with red, white, and blue flags. What are they shielding the families from and drowning out? Fred Phelps and his ilk who also attend the funerals and carry signs thanking God for IED's (the explosives that kill many of the soldiers). I didn't write the word Rev in front of that guy's name because even though he is a Rev, I don't feel it is appropriate to acknowledge. How can anyone so hateful and disgusting be a Rev? Phelps and his minions think that American deaths are divine justice for a country that harbors homosexuals. If he thinks it's so bad then why doesn't he move? Like, say, to another country.
peace out,
paul
This is cool. A group of more than 5,000 motorcyclists, who call themselves Patriot Guard Riders, ride around the country from military funeral to military funeral. They wear vests with military patches. At the funerals of soldiers who have died in Iraq, the cyclists shield the family members and chant patriotic with red, white, and blue flags. What are they shielding the families from and drowning out? Fred Phelps and his ilk who also attend the funerals and carry signs thanking God for IED's (the explosives that kill many of the soldiers). I didn't write the word Rev in front of that guy's name because even though he is a Rev, I don't feel it is appropriate to acknowledge. How can anyone so hateful and disgusting be a Rev? Phelps and his minions think that American deaths are divine justice for a country that harbors homosexuals. If he thinks it's so bad then why doesn't he move? Like, say, to another country.
peace out,
paul
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
I feel so un-American and no doubt our current President would call me unpatriotic but I just have had no interest in watching the Olympics. What's wrong with me? I have heard bits and pieces of what's been going on and I have to tell you it does sound like a soap opera. Forget Days Of Our Lives this is Days On The Ice or One Ski To Live. Feuding ice stars, outspoken skiers, flubbed routines, one would think that I would be riveted since I used to be a soap opera junkie. Oh well.
Something I did finally watch is the Italian epic movie The Best Of Youth. I had read some reviews of this near the end of last year and all of them were saying how good it was. I like reviews but I don't put a lot of stock into them because everyone is a critic. I don't recall seeing the film released theatrically in my area and had been looking in vain at the video stores but I did finally find it. I didn't find it at Blockbuster, Hollywood Video or another big name chain; I found it at a place called Video Barn (not the first hard to find movie I've found there).
Anyway, the film spans more than 30 years and follows two brothers, Nicola and Matteo from their days as youth at university to parenthood and middle age. The film has incredible character development and the acting and emotion is top notch. I've read reviews that compare this movie to The Godfather films and while I can see where the comparison comes from, I enjoyed this film more than all 3 Godfather movies put together. If you can get past the subtitles and the fact that it is 6 hours long, this film is incredible. I think I purposely took my time watching it because by the time the third hour rolled around I realized I did not want this movie to end. The only major criticism I have about the film is the plot development about four hours in to the film. I thought it was a mistake and it tainted the experience a little bit for me because I felt cheated out of one of the characters and the possibilities that were missed. This film is a must see and could teach many American directors a thing or ten about telling a story, developing characters, and infusing each scene with true emotion.
peace out,
paul
Something I did finally watch is the Italian epic movie The Best Of Youth. I had read some reviews of this near the end of last year and all of them were saying how good it was. I like reviews but I don't put a lot of stock into them because everyone is a critic. I don't recall seeing the film released theatrically in my area and had been looking in vain at the video stores but I did finally find it. I didn't find it at Blockbuster, Hollywood Video or another big name chain; I found it at a place called Video Barn (not the first hard to find movie I've found there).
Anyway, the film spans more than 30 years and follows two brothers, Nicola and Matteo from their days as youth at university to parenthood and middle age. The film has incredible character development and the acting and emotion is top notch. I've read reviews that compare this movie to The Godfather films and while I can see where the comparison comes from, I enjoyed this film more than all 3 Godfather movies put together. If you can get past the subtitles and the fact that it is 6 hours long, this film is incredible. I think I purposely took my time watching it because by the time the third hour rolled around I realized I did not want this movie to end. The only major criticism I have about the film is the plot development about four hours in to the film. I thought it was a mistake and it tainted the experience a little bit for me because I felt cheated out of one of the characters and the possibilities that were missed. This film is a must see and could teach many American directors a thing or ten about telling a story, developing characters, and infusing each scene with true emotion.
peace out,
paul
Saturday, February 18, 2006
Neil Entwistle, the man accused of killing his wife and 9-month-old daughter, has finally been arrested and will be arraigned on two counts of murder. Neil's DNA was found on the grip of the grip of the .22 handgun and his wife Rachel's DNA was found on the muzzle. Apparently he tried to return the gun to the home of his step-father-in-law. That sounds eerily like a scene out of Woody Allen's movie Match Point. In the movie Jonathan Rhys-Meyers's character shoots Scarlett Johansson's character with a gun from his father-in-law's gun cabinet and then secretly returns the gun to its place. Anyway, it's about time Entwistle was arrested because who, really, who finds their wife and daughter murdered and then hops a plane to England instead of calling 911?
In other news.....Damn Locke from the tv show Lost. Why did he have to put the numbers into the computer? As it is, we got to see, although briefly, what happened when the numbers weren't put in right away. A series of hieroglyphs came up and after doing a search (ok, my spouse did the search) of what the symbols mean we came up with the phrase "cause to die." What that is supposed to mean remains unclear but kudos to the writers and creators of Lost for concocting another head scratching/frustrating mystery. And we thought they would drop the ball in the second season.
I went to see the movie Date Movie just because Alyson "Willow from Buffy" Hannigan was in it (I like her) and because the trailer made me laugh out loud. During the movie I laughed out loud only twice (the same two scenes from the trailer? Are you kidding me?) and I chuckled about 5 or 6 times. Anyway, the film is a spoof of romantic comedy movies in the same vein as the Scary Movie films (those are spoofs of, duh, scary movies). Some of the movies that are spoofed are Pretty Woman, What Women Want, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Napoleon Dynamite, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and Hitch to name just a few. The sight gags, a few of them truly gross, hardly ever stop and I just kept asking myself, 'what's the point?' Anyway, this proves that I'm not a movie snob because if I was I would not even admit to seeing this movie.
peace out,
paul
In other news.....Damn Locke from the tv show Lost. Why did he have to put the numbers into the computer? As it is, we got to see, although briefly, what happened when the numbers weren't put in right away. A series of hieroglyphs came up and after doing a search (ok, my spouse did the search) of what the symbols mean we came up with the phrase "cause to die." What that is supposed to mean remains unclear but kudos to the writers and creators of Lost for concocting another head scratching/frustrating mystery. And we thought they would drop the ball in the second season.
I went to see the movie Date Movie just because Alyson "Willow from Buffy" Hannigan was in it (I like her) and because the trailer made me laugh out loud. During the movie I laughed out loud only twice (the same two scenes from the trailer? Are you kidding me?) and I chuckled about 5 or 6 times. Anyway, the film is a spoof of romantic comedy movies in the same vein as the Scary Movie films (those are spoofs of, duh, scary movies). Some of the movies that are spoofed are Pretty Woman, What Women Want, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Napoleon Dynamite, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and Hitch to name just a few. The sight gags, a few of them truly gross, hardly ever stop and I just kept asking myself, 'what's the point?' Anyway, this proves that I'm not a movie snob because if I was I would not even admit to seeing this movie.
peace out,
paul
Friday, February 17, 2006
Who says there is nothing good on the radio? A couple of the songs I'm really enjoying are Rob Thomas's Ever The Same and Talk by Coldplay.
One song I cannot stand is the new song by Rihanna called S.O.S. (Rescue Me). This song is your typical R&B sounding single. In fact, I thought it was done by Destiny's Child when I first heard it. The reason this song is terrible is because it is filled with cacophony. Not only that but it samples two really good songs: Depeche Mode's Personal Jesus and Tainted Love by Soft Cell. First of all if you are going to sample one of those songs, or both as this song so boldly does, the song better be kick ass.
And in gay news, a Missouri, yes Missouri, court overturned a ruling that had denied a woman her application to become a foster parent because she is a lesbian. The Missouri Department of Social Services had originally denied Lisa Johnston and the new ruling is supposedly, based on a poll done by Peter D. Hart Research Associates, the favor of 58% of Missouri residents. That means that more than half the residents are opposed to banning gays/lesbians from adopting or becoming foster parents. I'm not sure how accurate the poll is but that's big news.
peace out,
paul
One song I cannot stand is the new song by Rihanna called S.O.S. (Rescue Me). This song is your typical R&B sounding single. In fact, I thought it was done by Destiny's Child when I first heard it. The reason this song is terrible is because it is filled with cacophony. Not only that but it samples two really good songs: Depeche Mode's Personal Jesus and Tainted Love by Soft Cell. First of all if you are going to sample one of those songs, or both as this song so boldly does, the song better be kick ass.
And in gay news, a Missouri, yes Missouri, court overturned a ruling that had denied a woman her application to become a foster parent because she is a lesbian. The Missouri Department of Social Services had originally denied Lisa Johnston and the new ruling is supposedly, based on a poll done by Peter D. Hart Research Associates, the favor of 58% of Missouri residents. That means that more than half the residents are opposed to banning gays/lesbians from adopting or becoming foster parents. I'm not sure how accurate the poll is but that's big news.
peace out,
paul
Thursday, February 16, 2006
The last two Oscar races to break down before taking the plunge and making my pics for the winners are Best Director and Best Picture.
The Best Director race this year is filled with newbies and has one veteran reigning over them all. First the snubs: Ron Howard for Cinderella Man, Woody Allen for Match Point, James Mangold for Walk The Line and my pick for biggest snub is Fernando (City Of God) Meirelles for The Constant Gardener.
The ones who did make it are Paul Haggis for Crash, his clever and volatile drama about race relations in LA, which features a who's who of actors giving some great performances.
George Clooney sailed in with his film Good Night, And Good Luck about the fall of Sen. Joseph McCarthy thanks in no small part to Edward Murrow. Next George can direct a cigarette commercial. Sorry, I couldn't resist. If you've seen the film you know what I'm talking about. If you haven't then never mind.
Ang Lee is the one to beat for his picturesque and quiet drama about two cowboys, um ranchhands, in love in the not so weepy (ok, I didn't weep or cry or get teary eyed, call me stone hearted, ok) drama Brokeback Mountain.
Bennett Miller got a surprise (in my book anyway) nod for his film about the infamous Truman Capote's quest for a book in the aptly titled Capote.
Steven Spielberg, who's no stranger to this race, scored a much deserved nod for his controversial and speculative thriller Munich.
Now for the feature attraction. First the snubs in the Best Pic race. Cinderella Man, The Constant Gardener, and The Chronicles Of Narnia (my pick for biggest snub) were all denied a shot at the gold.
Brokeback Mountain, the there's-not-going-to-be-a-dry-eye-in-the-house (except for mine) drama about homosexuality in them thar hills, got a nod.
Munich, the story of Israeli's dispatched to assassinate Arabs responsible for the massacre at the 1972 Olympics, received a nod.
Good Night, And Good Luck, a black-and-white pic about the infamous 50's showdown on the telly, scored a nod.
Capote, the story of creepy Capote in his desire to write a book that will sell, got a nod.
Crash, the ensemble drama with Matt Dillon, Brendan Fraser, Sandra Bullock, Don Cheadle, Jennifer Esposito, Tony Danza, Thandie Newton, Terrence Howard, etc..etc..etc... got a nod. Not to be confused with the 1997 film, with Holly Hunter and James Spader, of the same name.
peace out,
paul
The Best Director race this year is filled with newbies and has one veteran reigning over them all. First the snubs: Ron Howard for Cinderella Man, Woody Allen for Match Point, James Mangold for Walk The Line and my pick for biggest snub is Fernando (City Of God) Meirelles for The Constant Gardener.
The ones who did make it are Paul Haggis for Crash, his clever and volatile drama about race relations in LA, which features a who's who of actors giving some great performances.
George Clooney sailed in with his film Good Night, And Good Luck about the fall of Sen. Joseph McCarthy thanks in no small part to Edward Murrow. Next George can direct a cigarette commercial. Sorry, I couldn't resist. If you've seen the film you know what I'm talking about. If you haven't then never mind.
Ang Lee is the one to beat for his picturesque and quiet drama about two cowboys, um ranchhands, in love in the not so weepy (ok, I didn't weep or cry or get teary eyed, call me stone hearted, ok) drama Brokeback Mountain.
Bennett Miller got a surprise (in my book anyway) nod for his film about the infamous Truman Capote's quest for a book in the aptly titled Capote.
Steven Spielberg, who's no stranger to this race, scored a much deserved nod for his controversial and speculative thriller Munich.
Now for the feature attraction. First the snubs in the Best Pic race. Cinderella Man, The Constant Gardener, and The Chronicles Of Narnia (my pick for biggest snub) were all denied a shot at the gold.
Brokeback Mountain, the there's-not-going-to-be-a-dry-eye-in-the-house (except for mine) drama about homosexuality in them thar hills, got a nod.
Munich, the story of Israeli's dispatched to assassinate Arabs responsible for the massacre at the 1972 Olympics, received a nod.
Good Night, And Good Luck, a black-and-white pic about the infamous 50's showdown on the telly, scored a nod.
Capote, the story of creepy Capote in his desire to write a book that will sell, got a nod.
Crash, the ensemble drama with Matt Dillon, Brendan Fraser, Sandra Bullock, Don Cheadle, Jennifer Esposito, Tony Danza, Thandie Newton, Terrence Howard, etc..etc..etc... got a nod. Not to be confused with the 1997 film, with Holly Hunter and James Spader, of the same name.
peace out,
paul
My thanks to my friend Sherri for sending this along to me.
The truth about dogs & cats revealed...Researchers are elated by recent efforts to decode diaries kept by our house pets and the truth is finally revealed!
AS SEEN IN A DOG'S DIARY:
7 am - Oh boy! A walk! My favorite!
8 am - Oh boy! Dog food! My favorite!
9 am - Oh boy! The kids! My favorite!
Noon - Oh boy! The yard! My favorite!
2 pm - Oh boy! A car ride! My favorite!
3 pm - Oh boy! The kids! My favorite!
4 pm - Oh boy! Playing ball! My favorite!
6 pm - Oh boy! Welcome home Mom! My favorite!
7 pm - Oh boy! Welcome home Dad! My favorite!
8 pm - Oh boy! Dog food! My favorite!
9 pm - Oh boy! Tummy rubs on the couch! My favorite!
11 pm - Oh boy! Sleeping in my people's bed! My favorite!
AS SEEN IN A CAT'S DIARY:
Day 183 of my captivity...My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects.
They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while I am forced to eat dry cereal.
The only thing that keeps me going is the hope of escape, and the mild satisfaction I get from clawing their furniture.
Tomorrow I will eat another houseplant.
Today my attempt to kill my captors by weaving around their feet while they were walking almost succeeded - must try this at the top of the stairs.
In an attempt to disgust and repulse these vile oppressors, I once again induced myself to vomit on their favorite chair. I must remember to try this on their bed.
Decapitated a mouse and brought them the headless body in an attempt to make them aware of what I am capable of, and to try to strike fear in their hearts. They only cooed and condescended about what a good little cat I was. Hmmm, that did not work according to plan...
There was some sort of gathering of their accomplices. I was placed in solitary throughout the event. However, I could hear the noise and smell the food. More important, I overheard my confinement was due to my powers of inducing "allergies". I must learn what this is and how I may use it to my advantage.
I am convinced the other captives are flunkies and may be snitches.
The dog is routinely released and seems more than happy to return. He is obviously a half-wit.
The bird, on the other hand, has got to be an informant and speaks with them regularly. I am certain he reports my every move. Due to his current placement in the metal room, his safety is assured.
But I have patience. I can wait, it is only a matter of time....
The truth about dogs & cats revealed...Researchers are elated by recent efforts to decode diaries kept by our house pets and the truth is finally revealed!
AS SEEN IN A DOG'S DIARY:
7 am - Oh boy! A walk! My favorite!
8 am - Oh boy! Dog food! My favorite!
9 am - Oh boy! The kids! My favorite!
Noon - Oh boy! The yard! My favorite!
2 pm - Oh boy! A car ride! My favorite!
3 pm - Oh boy! The kids! My favorite!
4 pm - Oh boy! Playing ball! My favorite!
6 pm - Oh boy! Welcome home Mom! My favorite!
7 pm - Oh boy! Welcome home Dad! My favorite!
8 pm - Oh boy! Dog food! My favorite!
9 pm - Oh boy! Tummy rubs on the couch! My favorite!
11 pm - Oh boy! Sleeping in my people's bed! My favorite!
AS SEEN IN A CAT'S DIARY:
Day 183 of my captivity...My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects.
They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while I am forced to eat dry cereal.
The only thing that keeps me going is the hope of escape, and the mild satisfaction I get from clawing their furniture.
Tomorrow I will eat another houseplant.
Today my attempt to kill my captors by weaving around their feet while they were walking almost succeeded - must try this at the top of the stairs.
In an attempt to disgust and repulse these vile oppressors, I once again induced myself to vomit on their favorite chair. I must remember to try this on their bed.
Decapitated a mouse and brought them the headless body in an attempt to make them aware of what I am capable of, and to try to strike fear in their hearts. They only cooed and condescended about what a good little cat I was. Hmmm, that did not work according to plan...
There was some sort of gathering of their accomplices. I was placed in solitary throughout the event. However, I could hear the noise and smell the food. More important, I overheard my confinement was due to my powers of inducing "allergies". I must learn what this is and how I may use it to my advantage.
I am convinced the other captives are flunkies and may be snitches.
The dog is routinely released and seems more than happy to return. He is obviously a half-wit.
The bird, on the other hand, has got to be an informant and speaks with them regularly. I am certain he reports my every move. Due to his current placement in the metal room, his safety is assured.
But I have patience. I can wait, it is only a matter of time....
Brokeback Bandwagon
Willie Nelson has come out, sort of. A song that was written back in the 80's and recorded by Nelson was featured on Howard Stern's radio show this past Tuesday. The song, titled Cowboys Are Frequently, Secretly (Fond Of Each Other), contains lyrics such as, 'What did you think all them saddles and boots was about?' and 'Inside every cowboy there's a lady who'd love to slip out.' The song is available through itunes and while I have not yet heard the song, I do have to wonder why it couldn't have just been called Closet Cowboys or Closet Encounters of a Cowboy Kind?
I kind of like Kelly Clarkson and there's something about one of her songs, Because Of You, that I really like. Maybe it's the music, I don't know but I do know I don't like the words. Because Of You I'm crying. Because Of You I can't find a meaningful relationship. Because Of You I don't take chances and I never leave the house. Blah, Blah, Blah. I'm exaggerating (juuuuuuusssst a little bit) but that's the theme of the song. Yes, Kel, we've all got problems now why don't you just move on. Oooh, I'm so bitchy today.
paul
I kind of like Kelly Clarkson and there's something about one of her songs, Because Of You, that I really like. Maybe it's the music, I don't know but I do know I don't like the words. Because Of You I'm crying. Because Of You I can't find a meaningful relationship. Because Of You I don't take chances and I never leave the house. Blah, Blah, Blah. I'm exaggerating (juuuuuuusssst a little bit) but that's the theme of the song. Yes, Kel, we've all got problems now why don't you just move on. Oooh, I'm so bitchy today.
paul
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Reality Junkie Strikes Again
Ok, I'm a fan of The Amazing Race (back for another season on 2/28 and thankfully they've left the families at home this time) and I'm one of the biggest Survivor junkies and now I've got another show that is quickly rivaling Survivor. I thought that once the American Idol auditions were over (horrible, anyone?) I'd lose interest. Not so. In fact, I'm enjoying it even more. I can't believe I never used to watch this show. I really liked it when Simon told off Derrell (hissy fit city) and yes, the Brokenote Mountain (Love is tone-deaf) trailer was a bit cheesy, however, it was touching especially when the three cowboys got voted off and Garet hugged Matthew and was reassured that he didn't let Matthew down. And is it just me or is Michael a dead ringer for Cuba Gooding Jr? At the very least he sounds just like Cuba. And kudos to AI for jumping on the Brokeback wagon. And I don't know about the rest of you but I really like Taylor. He's a combo of Michael McDonald, Joe Cocker and a titch of Ray Charles.
paul
paul
Apparently a sheriff's office in Virginia is taking the term undercover to heart. In an effort to close down massage parlors for prostitution, a number of detectives are getting their strokes on at the parlors. They've already shut down some parlors using this method and claim it's the only way to put the parlors out of business. In fact Spotsylvania County (sounds like Transylvania) Sheriff Howard Smith says they are only doing what kneads, oops, I mean needs to be done and he sees nothing illegal about it. I thought that prostitution was still illegal period.
wacky Wednesday
Ok, so by Dick Cheney not coming forward sooner and deciding to keep the shooting incident quiet, he's unwittingly created a storm. No one should be surprised, however, because it's very consistent with the legacy of the Bush presidency. "Let's be shrouded in secrecy," "Let's not tell the American people, let's pretend it doesn't exist." He better hope Whittington doesn't die.
Saddam is really starting to irritate me. How dare he be more of a drama queen than I am. And now he's on a hunger strike; who does he think he is: Gandhi?
And speaking of drama queens, Zacarias Moussaoui is another one. He is now barred from the courtroom during jury selection because of his many outbursts. He left the court reportedly saying, "God curse you (to the judge) and America." He's calling the proceedings a circus. It seems the only act in this circus is him. Please!!! Just take your punishment and shut up.
paul
p.s. Heart day is over and now we can all go back to being normal.
Saddam is really starting to irritate me. How dare he be more of a drama queen than I am. And now he's on a hunger strike; who does he think he is: Gandhi?
And speaking of drama queens, Zacarias Moussaoui is another one. He is now barred from the courtroom during jury selection because of his many outbursts. He left the court reportedly saying, "God curse you (to the judge) and America." He's calling the proceedings a circus. It seems the only act in this circus is him. Please!!! Just take your punishment and shut up.
paul
p.s. Heart day is over and now we can all go back to being normal.
Sunday, February 12, 2006
tube talk
Just watched Desperate Housewives and after weeks of being mediocre and bordering on boring, the last 10 minutes gave some oomph to the show. Most of the time I try to focus on the scene at hand whether it's a movie, tv show, etc...., however, sometimes I notice inconsistencies in the scene. The scene with Bree and Betty is one such scene. At the beginning of the scene Bree's wineglass is empty then it's got wine in it then it's empty again and then, yet again, it has wine in it. Did anyone else notice that? Watch it again I know I will. And Felicity Huffman is wonderful. I don't know what she was eating in the scene in which she eats the raw bacon but it certainly looked like raw bacon to me. She is such a versatile actress. I enjoy watching her.
I wanted to watch Grey's Anatomy while it aired but Jim pooh-poohed that idea and said, "You're supposed to watch it with me." He went to bed which is where I'm going now and will have wait to watch it in the morning. I'm only watching it to see what happens to Meredith.
paul
I wanted to watch Grey's Anatomy while it aired but Jim pooh-poohed that idea and said, "You're supposed to watch it with me." He went to bed which is where I'm going now and will have wait to watch it in the morning. I'm only watching it to see what happens to Meredith.
paul
weekly post-February 11, 2006
The "judge and jury" edition
Hello friends and loved ones,
I know this email is quite late and I must confess I wracked my brain to come up with something to write about; something meaningful and profound. A couple of things happened this past week and I reflected on those two things and realized that the topic was with me all along. I don't know about you but I find myself watching certain movies and thinking to myself, 'How can she do that?' or 'He deserves what he gets for what he's done.' Usually these movies involve characters who make moral decisions that don't agree with my morals. I find in real life, however, that there is a paradox between my thinking while watching those movies and my thinking in real life. Let's face it people that I know are going to do things that don't match up with my own moral code and I am going to have to decide how to continue that friendship/relationship. I don't believe I have any right to judge someone if they do something that I would not do because I think it's wrong. I can offer my opinion if asked and I can most definitely offer support. To me being a Christian doesn't mean that I can judge and cut someone out of my life if I don't agree with their actions. It's one thing to keep the children away from a convicted sex felon; it's another thing to crucify that person in the streets. I have friends who have done things that I have had to come to terms with and I did, in my own time and in my own way and not once did I bad mouth them or decide that I was better than they were because I wouldn't do what they did. Let's face it, life is much too difficult without the gossip, innuendos, and judgments. Besides, I know there are things that others can probably judge me on (and probably do). Everyone has good in them and just because someone does something that I may find morally wrong doesn't mean that person suddenly becomes bad. As a Christian, I need to understand and offer empathy. Not everyone grew up the same way I did, not everyone lives by the same moral code, not everyone is the same. Once the movie ends I need to make sure I'm practicing what I preach.
Hello friends and loved ones,
I know this email is quite late and I must confess I wracked my brain to come up with something to write about; something meaningful and profound. A couple of things happened this past week and I reflected on those two things and realized that the topic was with me all along. I don't know about you but I find myself watching certain movies and thinking to myself, 'How can she do that?' or 'He deserves what he gets for what he's done.' Usually these movies involve characters who make moral decisions that don't agree with my morals. I find in real life, however, that there is a paradox between my thinking while watching those movies and my thinking in real life. Let's face it people that I know are going to do things that don't match up with my own moral code and I am going to have to decide how to continue that friendship/relationship. I don't believe I have any right to judge someone if they do something that I would not do because I think it's wrong. I can offer my opinion if asked and I can most definitely offer support. To me being a Christian doesn't mean that I can judge and cut someone out of my life if I don't agree with their actions. It's one thing to keep the children away from a convicted sex felon; it's another thing to crucify that person in the streets. I have friends who have done things that I have had to come to terms with and I did, in my own time and in my own way and not once did I bad mouth them or decide that I was better than they were because I wouldn't do what they did. Let's face it, life is much too difficult without the gossip, innuendos, and judgments. Besides, I know there are things that others can probably judge me on (and probably do). Everyone has good in them and just because someone does something that I may find morally wrong doesn't mean that person suddenly becomes bad. As a Christian, I need to understand and offer empathy. Not everyone grew up the same way I did, not everyone lives by the same moral code, not everyone is the same. Once the movie ends I need to make sure I'm practicing what I preach.
Sunday snippets
The number one movie in America for the weekend was the ridiculous remake The Pink Panther. Starring Steve Martin, who makes the bumbling Inspector Clouseau look even more incompetent, the film looks absurd and unimaginative. I've no interest in seeing it as I cannot imagine anyone bringing something more to the role than the sublime Peter Sellers brought to it. This just goes to show that taste is subjective. I've no doubt that many people saw this film and laughed out loud. I've seen the trailer more than a few times and did not even chuckle once.
VP Dick Cheney has done it this time. During a hunting expedition on Saturday, he shot Harry Whittington, a millionaire from Austin, Texas, with shotgun pellets while hunting quail in South Texas. Whittington is doing fine despite being shot in the face and chest. Apparently Whittington shot one of the birds and went to look at it while at the same time Cheney and his group found a second covey of quail. Whittington came up from behind the VP and when the second covey flushed, Cheney followed one of the birds and shot. Unfortunately Whittington was in the line of fire.
Michelle Kwan pulled out of the Olympics after sustaining an injury to her groin on Sunday during her practice routine.
Another fire at a Baptist church in Birmingham, Alabama, brings the total to 10. Five of the churches had black congregations and five had white. Police are looking for suspects but don't believe that the fires are racially motivated. All of the fires were started at Baptist churches.
VP Dick Cheney has done it this time. During a hunting expedition on Saturday, he shot Harry Whittington, a millionaire from Austin, Texas, with shotgun pellets while hunting quail in South Texas. Whittington is doing fine despite being shot in the face and chest. Apparently Whittington shot one of the birds and went to look at it while at the same time Cheney and his group found a second covey of quail. Whittington came up from behind the VP and when the second covey flushed, Cheney followed one of the birds and shot. Unfortunately Whittington was in the line of fire.
Michelle Kwan pulled out of the Olympics after sustaining an injury to her groin on Sunday during her practice routine.
Another fire at a Baptist church in Birmingham, Alabama, brings the total to 10. Five of the churches had black congregations and five had white. Police are looking for suspects but don't believe that the fires are racially motivated. All of the fires were started at Baptist churches.
Saturday, February 11, 2006
The main event
First let's get the snubs over. Passed over for a best actor nod were Eric Bana for Munich, Russell Crowe for Cinderella Man, Ralph Fiennes for The Constant Gardener (my vote for 2nd biggest snub) and the biggest snub was Cillian Murphy for the film Breakfast On Pluto.
The noms for best actor in this year's race are the much talked about Heath Ledger who plays a tortured, maybe-gay-maybe-just-bi, ranch hand in Brokeback Mountain; The man in black is back as Joaquin Phoenix channels Johnny Cash (and does his own singing) in Walk The Line; Terrence Howard plays a pimp turned rapper and gives a revelatory performance in Hustle & Flow; David Strathairn plays Edward R. Murrow in the noir film Good Night, and Good Luck. He does act opposite the real Joseph McCarthy (whom some in early screen tests thought was a real actor and needed to tone it down). And Philip Seymour Hoffman plays the flawed Truman Capote in the aptly titled Capote.
The women have it going on too. There were plenty of snubs in this category too. Vera Farmiga for Down To The Bone, Ziyi Zhang in Memoirs Of A Geisha and, my vote for biggest snub, Joan Allen for The Upside Of Anger. Charlize Theron is back as a mine worker who sues her co-workers for sexual harassment in North Country; Felicity Huffman gives a career turning performance as a male-to-female transgender coming to terms with news that she has a teenage son in Transamerica; Reese Witherspoon continues the "they do their own singing" tradition as she channels June Carter Cash in Walk The Line; Keira Knightley is Elizabeth Bennet, the heroine of Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice; and Judi Dench scores a nod as Mrs. Henderson, the owner of a burlesque theater in London's West End during the time of WWII, in Mrs. Henderson Presents.
The noms for best actor in this year's race are the much talked about Heath Ledger who plays a tortured, maybe-gay-maybe-just-bi, ranch hand in Brokeback Mountain; The man in black is back as Joaquin Phoenix channels Johnny Cash (and does his own singing) in Walk The Line; Terrence Howard plays a pimp turned rapper and gives a revelatory performance in Hustle & Flow; David Strathairn plays Edward R. Murrow in the noir film Good Night, and Good Luck. He does act opposite the real Joseph McCarthy (whom some in early screen tests thought was a real actor and needed to tone it down). And Philip Seymour Hoffman plays the flawed Truman Capote in the aptly titled Capote.
The women have it going on too. There were plenty of snubs in this category too. Vera Farmiga for Down To The Bone, Ziyi Zhang in Memoirs Of A Geisha and, my vote for biggest snub, Joan Allen for The Upside Of Anger. Charlize Theron is back as a mine worker who sues her co-workers for sexual harassment in North Country; Felicity Huffman gives a career turning performance as a male-to-female transgender coming to terms with news that she has a teenage son in Transamerica; Reese Witherspoon continues the "they do their own singing" tradition as she channels June Carter Cash in Walk The Line; Keira Knightley is Elizabeth Bennet, the heroine of Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice; and Judi Dench scores a nod as Mrs. Henderson, the owner of a burlesque theater in London's West End during the time of WWII, in Mrs. Henderson Presents.
going gay?
Back when the flap started about Chinese actresses playing Japanese in the movie Memoirs Of A Geisha, I said it doesn't matter; what matters are the performances. As it is, the performances were fine but the book was such a moving experience that it didn't, in my humble opinion, translate very well to the screen. It was lacking something so important and prevalent in the book. There has also been some flap over two straight, high profile actors playing gay. That would be Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger, however, a lot of the flap has come as a result of the two of them claiming in interviews that they are unabashedly straight despite the fact that their characters have sex on screen. Now a gay actor is playing a straight missionary in the film End Of The Spear and he's raising more than a few eyebrows with the conservative Christians. I've yet to see the film, however, Chad Allen has been getting good reviews for his role in the film. Get over it people, what matters is the performance. Straight actors have played gay before and will no doubt continue to do so especially in the winning season of Brokeback. Tom Hanks, William Hurt, and Kevin Kline are just a few straight actors who have played gay. Of course the opposite also holds true. Rock Hudson played straight as did Cary Grant and Tab Hunter. My point is that if a compelling and believable performance can be achieved then it doesn't matter to me if it's by an actor who is straight, gay, or even transgendered. The christian conservatives are worried that kids will see Spear and then find out that Chad Allen is gay; so what. I'd be more worried about them watching the latest sex tape that can be found online.
the end of the quest....for now
One year ago this month I began something that I had never done; watching all of the pictures (that I had never seen) that won an acting Academy award or the Best Picture or Best Director award. There were quite a few of them and it started because I didn't realize that Mercedes Ruehl had won an Academy Award. I thought if I'm going to be an Oscar buff then I really need to bone up. The categories that I really care about are the major ones. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the whole awards show and seeing the other winners, however, there's something exciting about seeing the actors win and seeing which picture is crowned the Queen of the Ball. Of the 305 movies that won either an acting award, best pic or best director, since 1927, I had not seen 153 of them. I have seen all but 13 of them. Those 13 are movies I have not been able to find at a video store, at the library, or on cable. I may get lucky and get a chance to see them but as of yet my viewing of past Oscar winning movies is unfinished.
paul
paul
The two I's
While we are still fighting (the almost three year) war in Iraq, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is still making threats. He says that their nuclear technology is for medicine, economy and industry. However, he is continuing to threaten that if the US violates the rights of Iranians, their nuclear program policy will be rethought. If Iran does abandon the Non-Proliferation Treaty they can develop nuclear weapons without inspection. We really need to watch out for this guy. He's a slick one.
The bird flu was found in some wild swans in Sicily. The bird flu has now been found in Italy, Greece, and Bulgaria.
A Haitian woman was arrested on Thursday at Florida's Fort Lauderdale airport after customs official found a human head in her baggage. She was charged with transporting hazardous material and for not declaring the head on the customs form. I don't know about you but that's one thing I'd be a little scared of declaring. The woman said it was to ward off evil spirits. The head had skin, teeth, hair and was very dirty. Haiti, the country the woman hailed from, recognized voodoo as a religion back in 2003. The woman faces up to 15 years in prison. No word on where the rest of the body might be found.
paul
The bird flu was found in some wild swans in Sicily. The bird flu has now been found in Italy, Greece, and Bulgaria.
A Haitian woman was arrested on Thursday at Florida's Fort Lauderdale airport after customs official found a human head in her baggage. She was charged with transporting hazardous material and for not declaring the head on the customs form. I don't know about you but that's one thing I'd be a little scared of declaring. The woman said it was to ward off evil spirits. The head had skin, teeth, hair and was very dirty. Haiti, the country the woman hailed from, recognized voodoo as a religion back in 2003. The woman faces up to 15 years in prison. No word on where the rest of the body might be found.
paul
Friday, February 10, 2006
Fireproof? No, but Ford's still got it
I went to see the new Harrison Ford movie, Firewall, with my friend Francine and her daughter. The movie stars Ford as Jack Stanfield, the head of security at a Seattle based bank. The bank is facing a merger and Ford's new boss, played by Robert Patrick, is somewhat of a thorn in Jack's side. Unfortunately that is the least of Jack's problems. A computer hacker has been spying on Jack and knows all about his life. Played by Paul Bettany, great at playing the villain and soon to be seen as the evil albino monk in The DaVinci Code, Bill Cox is the leader of a group of hackers and they want Jack to hack into the bank's security system and steal 100 million dollars. Why can't they do it themselves, I wonder? They managed to make it look like Jack has racked up almost 100 thousand dollars in gambling debts, so why do they even need Jack? Apparently the system is so secure that it can only be done from within the bank and Jack IS the head of security and designed the computer's security system. Of course Jack's family is held hostage during all of this and eventually he does turn the tables on the villains. However, once the bad guys do have the money, they decide to drive the family, minus Jack, to a deserted house instead of immediately killing them. This only gives Ford the chance to follow them, transfer the money back to the bank, and kick some butt. Ford too takes a beating but manages to hold his own. Yes, at 63 Harrison Ford is still a major action star. The movie does have some exciting moments but for the most part it's nothing that hasn't been done before. Virginia Madsen is not given much to do either but she does make the most of her role as wife and mother trying to protect her children.
Thursday, February 09, 2006
Breaking it down: Simply Supportive
I truly enjoy Academy Awards season, I study the winners, become very animated when talking about predictions and the nominees and look forward to the highlight: The big night. This year it's Sunday, March 5, and I'll be watching as the ceremony unfolds and the winners are crowned. I haven't yet had a chance to break down the nominees so I'll do that now. I won't be predicting the winners just yet but when I do I'll also be pontificating on who I think SHOULD win. Sometimes my predictions for who will win and who should do not line up.
First of all let's look at the snubs; the people who didn't get a nomination despite critical acclaim and buzzing about getting nominated. There are always going to be good performances that don't get nominated, winners of other awards that don't make the Oscar cut, and missed opportunities to bestow the honor of an Academy Award nom on an actor/actress. Here are the supporting actresses that got snubbed.
Thandie Newton for Crash, Shirley MacLaine for In Her Shoes, Maria Bello for A History Of Violence, Gong Li for Memoirs Of A Geisha, and Scarlett Johansson for Match Point, and Taraji P. Henson (my choice for biggest snub in this category) for Hustle & Flow. Now here are the ones who did make the cut.
Catherine Keener was nominated for her role as novelist Harper Lee in the film Capote. She gives quiet yet steely support to Philip Seymour Hoffman's portrayal of the controversial Capote. She compels us with each scene she is in.
Michelle Williams scores her first ever nod for her role as Alma Del Mar; a woman who discovers the truth about her husband but cannot do or say anything about it.
Rachel Weisz plays Tessa, a woman who meets an untimely death, in the political thriller The Constant Gardener. After showing us some promise in the Mummy films and the movie Constantine, she proved she is more than just a "popcorn" actress.
Frances McDormand returned to her Midwest roots in the role of Glory in the film North Country. A role that could have very very easily been so cliched was turned brilliant by McDormand. As she dusts off her accent from Fargo she proves once again that she is a powerful actress.
Amy Adams scores her first nod for the film Junebug. You may not have heard of this film as it is a small movie with no major movie stars. It didn't get a run in the major theatres and it's a quiet film with no big scenes filled with histrionics. Adams commands each scene she's in, however, and delivers one of THE most refreshing performances of all of last year.
The men had some major snubs as well. Some of the ones who didn't get a nod are Don Cheadle for Crash, Bob Hoskins for Mrs. Henderson Presents, Ed Harris for A History Of Violence, Peter Sarsgaard for Jarhead (my pick for 2nd biggest snub) and my pick for biggest snub, Donald Sutherland for Pride & Prejudice. Here are the manly men who did make the cut.
Matt Dillon scored a nod as a cop who takes advantage of an African American woman during a "routine" traffic stop and then ends up rescuing that same woman from a fiery death.
Jake Gyllenhaal made the cut as Jack Twist in the critics darling Brokeback Mountain. His role could easily have been a caricature but he handles the character with deft.
George Clooney 35 pounds, grew a beard, and channeled his inner schlub for the role of Bob Barnes in the sprawling Syriana.
William Hurt scored a nod for his role as Richie, a mobster who is onscreen for only 10 minutes, in the film A History Of Violence.
Paul Giamatti FINALLY netted a nod for his role as Joe Gould, the manager of Russell Crowe's James J. Braddock, a role that could have easily been overlooked. As with his other roles, however, Giamatti made the ringside character just as interesting and compelling as his man in the ring.
First of all let's look at the snubs; the people who didn't get a nomination despite critical acclaim and buzzing about getting nominated. There are always going to be good performances that don't get nominated, winners of other awards that don't make the Oscar cut, and missed opportunities to bestow the honor of an Academy Award nom on an actor/actress. Here are the supporting actresses that got snubbed.
Thandie Newton for Crash, Shirley MacLaine for In Her Shoes, Maria Bello for A History Of Violence, Gong Li for Memoirs Of A Geisha, and Scarlett Johansson for Match Point, and Taraji P. Henson (my choice for biggest snub in this category) for Hustle & Flow. Now here are the ones who did make the cut.
Catherine Keener was nominated for her role as novelist Harper Lee in the film Capote. She gives quiet yet steely support to Philip Seymour Hoffman's portrayal of the controversial Capote. She compels us with each scene she is in.
Michelle Williams scores her first ever nod for her role as Alma Del Mar; a woman who discovers the truth about her husband but cannot do or say anything about it.
Rachel Weisz plays Tessa, a woman who meets an untimely death, in the political thriller The Constant Gardener. After showing us some promise in the Mummy films and the movie Constantine, she proved she is more than just a "popcorn" actress.
Frances McDormand returned to her Midwest roots in the role of Glory in the film North Country. A role that could have very very easily been so cliched was turned brilliant by McDormand. As she dusts off her accent from Fargo she proves once again that she is a powerful actress.
Amy Adams scores her first nod for the film Junebug. You may not have heard of this film as it is a small movie with no major movie stars. It didn't get a run in the major theatres and it's a quiet film with no big scenes filled with histrionics. Adams commands each scene she's in, however, and delivers one of THE most refreshing performances of all of last year.
The men had some major snubs as well. Some of the ones who didn't get a nod are Don Cheadle for Crash, Bob Hoskins for Mrs. Henderson Presents, Ed Harris for A History Of Violence, Peter Sarsgaard for Jarhead (my pick for 2nd biggest snub) and my pick for biggest snub, Donald Sutherland for Pride & Prejudice. Here are the manly men who did make the cut.
Matt Dillon scored a nod as a cop who takes advantage of an African American woman during a "routine" traffic stop and then ends up rescuing that same woman from a fiery death.
Jake Gyllenhaal made the cut as Jack Twist in the critics darling Brokeback Mountain. His role could easily have been a caricature but he handles the character with deft.
George Clooney 35 pounds, grew a beard, and channeled his inner schlub for the role of Bob Barnes in the sprawling Syriana.
William Hurt scored a nod for his role as Richie, a mobster who is onscreen for only 10 minutes, in the film A History Of Violence.
Paul Giamatti FINALLY netted a nod for his role as Joe Gould, the manager of Russell Crowe's James J. Braddock, a role that could have easily been overlooked. As with his other roles, however, Giamatti made the ringside character just as interesting and compelling as his man in the ring.
here kitty kitty
This photo was taken on February 5 in Brussels. It was one of the photos of the International Feline Beauty Contest, a contest of some of the creepiest, um, I mean cutest, cats in Europe. Personally, though, I think these cats are creepy. I want a cat with fur; lots of it.
Here's one to make you gag or laugh or both. A woman in Tanzania went out to hang some clothes in her yard and came back to find her 6-month old suckling on the family dog. The woman went into hysterics and was finally calmed down by her brother when he convinced her the dog's milk was harmless. "(the baby) hasn't had diarrhea or any signs of illness," the brother said. Another relative offered this tidbit, "the baby was satisfied, since his belly was full and his lips had traces of milk." So far there are no signs of the baby scratching its ears with its feet or making barking noises.
paul
paul
This picture of a new species, the Smoky honeyeater, was taken in the Foya mountains in Indonesia. During the expedition, scientists discovered new species of butterflies, plants, and frogs. From this picture I think it looks like a cross between a crow and a turkey. Maybe they can call it a crokey.
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
tv talk
Last night was the last round of auditions in American Idol and tonight begins the Hollywood Round. Boy did Boston bring us a bizarre bunch or what? The guy that sounded like Cher was just weird and I have to agree with Simon. The guy sings like Cher and Judy Garland so why doesn't he become a female impersonator? Makes sense to me. I do disagree with Simon about the guy sounding like Cher. I don't know what he sounded like but it wasn't Cher. What's sad to me is that most of the auditioners didn't even seem to realize how bad they are. And what's up with Paula? Is she determined to disagree with Simon every chance she gets? The twin girls that came in had one singing Black Velvet and after Randy said yes, Paula said no. She also said that the girl's voice wasn't good. However, after Simon said no, Paula changed her mind and said yes. Talk about wishy-washy.
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
gay blood cont.
Protests have been launched in Britain by the National Union of Students in response to the National Blood Service's ban on gay blood. Universities in Nottingham, Lancaster, Salford, and Leeds Metropolitan University, to name a few, have been mounting demonstrations claiming that "gay blood is good." During Fresher's week at Birmingham University's Guild of Students, the NBS was banned from setting up a booth. It is estimated that up to 150 new donors were lost. Each of those donors could have potentially given blood up to three times this year. Only 6% of the British population gives blood and universities are a prime source for pumping up the blood supply. I'd be more than willing to give blood, and have in the past, if the ban on gay blood was lifted. With all of the new techniques for screening blood there's no excuse for not including the GLBT community in the blood drives.
photo op
This is not the cat from Meet The Parents. This is Jim's niece's cat, Sidney, and he pees on the toilet just like the cat in Meet The Parents. I had to get a pic of him tinkling and that's just what he does. He squats down, as you can see from the pic, and it sounds just like a person peeing. No luck yet in getting him to do #2. But stay tuned.
Sunday, February 05, 2006
this & that
We had a great time in Florida even though for the first two days I had major sinus attacks. Where does all of the phlegm and congestion come from? The last few days were gloomy and rainy. There was even a roof at a Bed Bath & Beyond store in St. Petersburg that collapsed because of heavy rains. We drove down to Bradenton on one of the days to visit a couple who attend our church and on our way down we were passing an 18 wheeler. I happened to be driving and as I was passing the truck, one of the truck's tires blew. Thankfully, it was one of the rear tires and I was already far enough ahead to avoid getting hit with any tire pieces but it was loud and a little startling.
Al (Grandpa Munster) Lewis has died at the age of 82. Born in Brooklyn, NY, Lewis was actually born Albert Meister and ran for governor of NY as a candidate of the Green Party.
And the couples just keep separating. Sheryl Crow and Lance Armstrong have announced their separation after announcing their engagement five months ago. Another couple who have split after nearly 14 years of marriage is Rob Estes and Josie Bissett. Estes has been on a number of tv shows, most notably the tv show Silk Stalkings, but also played opposite Bissett on Melrose Place. Bissett played Jane Mancini on the show. And after 11 years of marriage, Richie Sambora and Heather Locklear are divorcing. There must be something in the water; don't drink it.
No, I won't be watching the Super Bowl tonight. I can think of very few things that would be more boring. But if you are watching tonight; enjoy and may the best team win.
paul
Al (Grandpa Munster) Lewis has died at the age of 82. Born in Brooklyn, NY, Lewis was actually born Albert Meister and ran for governor of NY as a candidate of the Green Party.
And the couples just keep separating. Sheryl Crow and Lance Armstrong have announced their separation after announcing their engagement five months ago. Another couple who have split after nearly 14 years of marriage is Rob Estes and Josie Bissett. Estes has been on a number of tv shows, most notably the tv show Silk Stalkings, but also played opposite Bissett on Melrose Place. Bissett played Jane Mancini on the show. And after 11 years of marriage, Richie Sambora and Heather Locklear are divorcing. There must be something in the water; don't drink it.
No, I won't be watching the Super Bowl tonight. I can think of very few things that would be more boring. But if you are watching tonight; enjoy and may the best team win.
paul
Saturday, February 04, 2006
This is a bit silly but enjoyable nonetheless. Thanks to Lady Di for sending it.
The European Commission has just announced an agreement whereby English will be the official language of the European Union rather than German, which was the other possibility. As part of the negotiations, the British Government conceded that English spelling had some room for improvement and has accepted a 5- year phase-in plan that would become known as "Euro-English".
In the first year, "s" will replace the soft "c".
Sertainly, this will make the sivil servants jump with joy.
The hard "c" will be dropped in favour of "k".
This should klear up konfusion , and keyboards kan have one less letter.
There will be growing publik enthusiasm in the sekond year when the troublesome "ph" will be re placed with "f". This will make words like fotograf 20% shorter.
In the 3rd year, publik akseptanse of the new spelling kan be expekted to reach the stage where more komplikated changes are possible. Governments will enkourage the removal of double letters which have always ben a deterent to akurate speling.
Also, al wil agre that the horibl mes of the silent "e" in the languag is disgrasful and it should go away.
By the 4th yer people wil be reseptiv to steps such as replasing "th" with "z" and "w" with "v". During ze fifz yer, ze unesesary "o" kan be dropd from vords kontaining "ou" and after ziz fifz yer, ve vil hav a reil sensibl riten styl. Zer vil be no mor trubl or difikultis and evrivun vil find it ezi tu understand ech oza. Ze drem of a united urop vil finali kum tru.
Und efter ze fifz yer, ve vil al be speking German like zey vunted in ze forst plas.
IF ZIS MAD YOU SMIL, PLEAS PAS ON TO OZA PEPL.
The European Commission has just announced an agreement whereby English will be the official language of the European Union rather than German, which was the other possibility. As part of the negotiations, the British Government conceded that English spelling had some room for improvement and has accepted a 5- year phase-in plan that would become known as "Euro-English".
In the first year, "s" will replace the soft "c".
Sertainly, this will make the sivil servants jump with joy.
The hard "c" will be dropped in favour of "k".
This should klear up konfusion , and keyboards kan have one less letter.
There will be growing publik enthusiasm in the sekond year when the troublesome "ph" will be re placed with "f". This will make words like fotograf 20% shorter.
In the 3rd year, publik akseptanse of the new spelling kan be expekted to reach the stage where more komplikated changes are possible. Governments will enkourage the removal of double letters which have always ben a deterent to akurate speling.
Also, al wil agre that the horibl mes of the silent "e" in the languag is disgrasful and it should go away.
By the 4th yer people wil be reseptiv to steps such as replasing "th" with "z" and "w" with "v". During ze fifz yer, ze unesesary "o" kan be dropd from vords kontaining "ou" and after ziz fifz yer, ve vil hav a reil sensibl riten styl. Zer vil be no mor trubl or difikultis and evrivun vil find it ezi tu understand ech oza. Ze drem of a united urop vil finali kum tru.
Und efter ze fifz yer, ve vil al be speking German like zey vunted in ze forst plas.
IF ZIS MAD YOU SMIL, PLEAS PAS ON TO OZA PEPL.
The American Family Association is at it again. The conservative Christian group that recently had a hand in cancelling the tv show The Book Of Daniel is focusing its attention on another show with gay characters: Will & Grace. W&G, which has been on for 8 seasons and is currently on its last one, has an episode slated to air in April which features a guest appearance by Britney Spears. In the episode Jack's tv network is bought by a christian broadcaster and Spears plays a Conservative Christian who is cast as a sidekick for Jack. The episode includes Spears's character in a cooking segment titled Cruci-Fixin's. Not only that but the episode would air the day before Good Friday. I stopped watching the show after the third season because all of the characters are caricatures and it's not a funny show. Jack is too ridiculous and Will and Grace are two people I would not want to know. Talk about self-absorbed and insecure. I watched a few episodes of the current season and things have not changed. I have to say I agree with the AFA in their attack on Will & Grace concerning the episode. How abominable, what poor taste. I'm glad this show is not coming back next season.
paul
paul
ride of our lives
Yesterday we went over to Jim's nephew's house and had a wonderful Italian dinner of manicotti, salad, and soup. The car ride over was interesting; in the car was Jim; his niece Pam; her son Reid; Pam's mother Ellie and Bill, Ellie's significant other. It's a miracle we got to the house because everyone was keen on giving Jim driving directions. Pam was sitting in the front seat of the Buick LaSabre we were in; she was forced to sit in the middle, however, on the console while Ellie was in the passenger seat. In the back was me sitting behind the driver's seat, Bill was sitting behind the passenger seat, and Reid was in the middle. Every few seconds either Pam (who was doing her best to remain the main navigator) or Ellie or Bill would pipe up with some sort of direction or command for Jim. Then a small skirmish would ensue over who had the right directions. "Shut up," "Don't turn here," "No, go down that road," were just a few of the barking orders. It was all quite amusing.
Meanwhile, when we did finally get to Jim's nephew's house, we had a great time. Jim, the name of Jim's nephew, and Janis, Jim's wife were wonderful hosts. There was a great deal of eating, drinking, socializing, and then the last activity of the night was the game Scene It. This is a dvd game in which movie scenes or clues are given and teams have to come up with the right actor, movie, detail, etc.... It was a lot of fun and there was quite a bit of hootin' and hollerin'; mostly from me and the team I was on. Unfortunately, my team lost the game but it wasn't a runaway, in fact we were literally right behind them. It didn't help that I yelled out the answer to their last question. It was my first time playing the game and I thought whoever answered first would get the point. Oh well!!! During the night a dark forest chocolate cake was presented in honor of my birthday; it was very rich and fabulous. Everyone had a great time and we didn't get home until almost midnight. The Provonchas know how to throw a party.
Meanwhile, when we did finally get to Jim's nephew's house, we had a great time. Jim, the name of Jim's nephew, and Janis, Jim's wife were wonderful hosts. There was a great deal of eating, drinking, socializing, and then the last activity of the night was the game Scene It. This is a dvd game in which movie scenes or clues are given and teams have to come up with the right actor, movie, detail, etc.... It was a lot of fun and there was quite a bit of hootin' and hollerin'; mostly from me and the team I was on. Unfortunately, my team lost the game but it wasn't a runaway, in fact we were literally right behind them. It didn't help that I yelled out the answer to their last question. It was my first time playing the game and I thought whoever answered first would get the point. Oh well!!! During the night a dark forest chocolate cake was presented in honor of my birthday; it was very rich and fabulous. Everyone had a great time and we didn't get home until almost midnight. The Provonchas know how to throw a party.
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
Oscar odds
Of the 5 nominees in the 8 major races of the Academy Awards, or what I like to consider major, I predicted 29 out of 40. That sounds so much better than the percentage amount (it was 72.5 %). That sounds terrible. There were a few surprises though so I'm not feeling too bad. William Hurt got a nod for Best Supporting Actor; The Constant Gardener and Walk The Line both got shut out of the Director and Picture races; I should have known that Russell Crowe wouldn't get nominated and that instead David Strathairn would get a nod; although I did allude to that in one of my previous posts. I was also a bit surprised that Munich got a best pic nod and Steven Spielberg a best director nod since it had been shut out of some of the other major awards races. Another best pic and director surprise was Capote and Bennett Miller for directing. It was nice to see Jake Gyllenhaal get a supporting actor nod. Also cool was to see Paul Haggis get a directing nod for Crash and to see Crash get a best pic nod.
Some other nods that would have been nice to see: Peter Sarsgaard for Jarhead; Ralph Fiennes for The Constant Gardener; and Taraji P. Henson for Hustle & Flow.
Oh well, not too bad, I suppose but now comes the trickier part of actually predicting the right one to win. May I do better than 72.5%!!!
paul
Some other nods that would have been nice to see: Peter Sarsgaard for Jarhead; Ralph Fiennes for The Constant Gardener; and Taraji P. Henson for Hustle & Flow.
Oh well, not too bad, I suppose but now comes the trickier part of actually predicting the right one to win. May I do better than 72.5%!!!
paul
33 and counting
It's a wonderful 68 degrees here in Melbourne and it's so nice not having a schedule. We have no where we have to be or anything we have to do. We woke up this morning and took Jim's great-nephew out to breakfast before he had to go to school. The restaurant was called The Blueberry Muffin but Jim calls it the Blue Muffin, don't ask me why. I had something called stuffed french toast croissant. It wasn't that good because it had whipped cream on it and a tiny tiny drizzle of chocolate sauce.
Later today we'll be having dinner at Jim's sister's house and probably seeing more of the family. Jim has of course been making a big deal about today and proceeded to wake me up this morning at around 5ish by jumping on me and singing happy, happy birthday. He likes doing that kind of stuff, it pleases him, so I can't really fault him.
paul
Later today we'll be having dinner at Jim's sister's house and probably seeing more of the family. Jim has of course been making a big deal about today and proceeded to wake me up this morning at around 5ish by jumping on me and singing happy, happy birthday. He likes doing that kind of stuff, it pleases him, so I can't really fault him.
paul
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